Process of making gut strings



Patented Mar. 27, was. I:

omra stares rnocnss or. MAKING GUT simmers.

No Drawing.

This invention relates to the manufacture of gut strings, such for example, as those used in tennis rackets, and the primary ob ject of the invention is toprovide a new and'improved process of manufacturing gut strings from intestines which have been heretofore considered useless for this purpose, and to provide an improved and stronger string at cheaper cost. ut strings have heretofore been made principally from the intestines of such animals as lambs, sheep, hogs etc, the intestines of larger animals such as beef cattle not being suitable. As a result, the intestines of the smaller animals have been in such great demand for making gut strings that the cost of such strings is considerable, while the intestines of the larger animals have remained a cheap by-product. It is an object of my invention to provide a new process whereby a better gut string can be made from these cheap intestines. Obviously, this new process adapts a cheap raw material, otherwise useless for this purpose, to this new use.

I have found that while bovine intestines as a whole are not suited to the manufacture of gut strings, the inner layer thereof is quite suited to this purpose. It is another object of my invention to provide a process for separating this inner layer from the remaining portion of the intestines, whereby the same can be used for the purpose stated.

In the following specification, I have specifically described my improved process and have therein defined specific and materials which I may use. It will be understood however, that the details stated may be varied within reasonable limits, and that the materials and proportions mentioned are considered as also including the equivalents thereof.

fined my invention as being particularly applicable to use on bovine intestines, the samea may of course be likewise applicable to the intestines of other like animals. 7

In carrying out my invention, I may pro ceed as follows.

The intestines aft er being thoroughly washed, are soakedin a 5% potassiumhye droXide solution until the outer layer. is loosened. They are then slit lengthwise into two ribbons, and the outer layer thereof peeled off.

The remaining inner layers are then again soaked in a stronger potassium hydroxide Application 'filed March 22, 1926.

proportions Also, while I have de- I which comprises soaking a caustic alkal1 solut1on,separatmg the outer Serial No. 96,668.

solution of 7 strength, until the remain ing outer layer-is loosened from the inner layer. This outer layer is then peeled from the inner layer. a 7

j The remaining inner layer is then soaked in a stronger" potassium hydroxide solution of 10%:str'ehgth for the purposeof soften.-

ing thev gut and thefat thereon. After this soaking, thegut is run througha machine having a series'of rapidly revolving knives, which clean the fat therefrom.

The complete and the remaining inner layer is ready tobe manufactured into strings. I preferably proceed as follows. 1 5

I soak this gut in a 12 potassium hydroxide solution for five days, the solution being changed each day. This soaking strengthens the gut so that it can be twisted into strings.

Gut strings are ordinarily made fromsevera plies of gut laid together and twisted into a single string. The number of plies used depends upon the size of string to be made and upon the width of the gut. In manufacturing the strings, I ordinarily place from eight to fifteen of the gut ribbons together and twist the same into a string. This twisting and finishing operation is the same as that now used in manufacturing gut strings and further description thereof herein is therefore believed to be unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is;

1. The process of making gut strings from the inner layer of bovine intestines which comprises separating the outer layers from the inner layer of such intestinesby soaking the same in a solution of a hydroxideof an alkali metal which loosens the layers and then. removing .the outer layer and there-- after treating the inner layer with a similar solution to strengthen the same and'twisting the resulting product into gutstrings.

2. The process of m layers thereof from the. inner layer, soaking the innerlayer in a similar solution to soften the gut and the fat thereon, removing the fat therefrom. soaking the gut in a similar solution to strengthen the gut, and thereafter placing a plurality of layers of the gut together and twisting the same to form a string. r

processing of the intestines is'now.

so I

aking gut strings 1 bovine lntestmes 1n 3. The process of making gut strings which comprises soaking bovine intestines in a potassium hydroxide solution, separating the outer layers thereof from the inner layer, soaking the inner layer in a potassium hydroxide solution to soften the gut and the fat thereon, removing the fat therefrom, soaking the gut in a stronger potassium hydroxide solution to strengthen the gut, and thereafter placinga plurality of layers of the gut together and twisting 'thesame to form a string. l i 4. The process of making gut strings which comprises soakingbovine' intestines in a potassium hydroxide solution, separating the outer layer therefrom, again soaking the remaining gut in a stronger potassium hydroxide solution, separating the remaining outer layer therefrom, again soaking the remaining gut in a stronger potassium hydroxide solution to soften the gut and the fat thereon, removing the fat, thereafter soaking the gut in a sti l stronger ptassium hydroztide solution to strengthen the gut, and thereafter placing a plurality of layers of the gut together and twisting the same to form a string.

5. The process of making gut strings which comprises soaking bovine intestines in a substantially potassium hydroxide so lution,slitting the same lengthwise into tWo ribbons and separating the outer layer therefrom, again soaking a substantially 7 solution, separating layer therefrom, again potassium hydroxide the remaining. outer soaking the remalnthe remaining gut n ing gut in a substantially 10%: potassium hydroxide solution to soften thegut and the fat thereon, removing the fat, thereafter soaking the gut in'asubstantially 12 potassium hydroxide solution to strengthen the gut, and thereafter placing a pluralityof layers of the guttogether and twisting 'the same to form a string. I

Intestimony whereof I afiix. my signature.

' TULLIO SARRA. 

